Will Sweetheart Emily Blunt Keep the ASA from Souring on YSL Opium?

Definitely one of the most surprising pieces of news out of fashion world over the last few weeks is Emily Blunt’s newest role as the face of Yves Saint Laurent’s Opium fragrance. While the British actress’s beauty is certainly not in question her well know sweet and down-to-earth demeanor seems the complete opposite of the storied and often controversial YSL fragrance which she will be representing. The first 60 second spot for the fragrance, which will be hard to miss by this time next month, features Emily in a black tuxedo and gold jewelry sharing screen time with a very real leopard which certainly goes a long way to giving the images some bite. However it is still a far cry from the YSL Opium ads earlier this year that scandalized Britain and earned a ban from the notorious Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after numerous complaints that the model’s dancing style simulated intravenous drug use.

Blunt herself seems a little surprised at YSL’s choice, when asked by the Telegraph as to why she was chosen Emily replied “I don’t know. I’ve no idea. There was no one else? They made a mistake, a terrible mistake.” All self deprecating humor aside perhaps Blunt is the smart choice for a fragrance that has often ended up on the wrong side of controversy in recent years. In addition to the ban put in place by the ASA earlier this year, YSL came under fire back in 2000 for an Opium billboard featuring a naked Sophie Dahl which after nearly a thousand complaints was also banned throughout the UK. Perhaps Ms. Blunt’s presence will help add a little nice to YSL Opium’s naughty rep. One thing is for sure, controversy certainly didn’t ward Emily away. In fact she told the Telegraph:

“There’s such an aura of scandal around this perfume that I have quiet attached to the idea of doing it from the word go. I’d been asked to do a couple of things but none were as classy as this. And I got to work with a leopard.”